Noteworthy

Fort Lauderdale Is Applying To Host ESPN's Summer X Games In 2017, 2018

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is applying to be the host city for the four-day extreme sports competition in summer 2017 and 2018. South Florida-based Mecca Media Entertainment is helping with the bid.

The sports and youth culture festival brings together top athletes in action sports, such as skateboarding and BMX, as well as musical acts. The event typically attracts about 25,000 spectators a day.

Recommended Videos

This is Fort Lauderdale's first time applying.

"Our diverse community and our beaches will make for great TV production, and action sports has tremendous growth in our destination," said Carol Hudson, the CVB's director of sports development.

If Fort Lauderdale is selected, hosting the event could have an economic impact of $74.1 million and bring the area more than $8 million in media exposure in its first year alone, according to the CVB.

ESPN first announced in March it would be looking for a new host city after 2016. Austin, which has been the X Games' host city since 2014, will host the event for the third and final time this summer.

Indoor and outdoor venues across Broward County, which have been scouted by ESPN on two separate occasions, according to the CVB, would be used to host the live competitions. Music, film, art and other interactive X Games events would also be held in local venues.

As it reviews proposals, ESPN will evaluate the quality of venues in each community, plus the level of services, partnership and support the area can provide.